Question about new setup

[SkySurfer80]

Ok I just recently moved into a new home. I am not wanting to put up a pole at the moment but was wondering if any of you have ever used a tripod or a stand for a motorized system, that way I can easily move it anytime needed. Would a stand or a tripod hold it when the motor moves? Also the spot I want to put it has the cable box connection that all the cables are at running through the house so I wont have to bury any cable.

Another thing I am looking at getting either a 39" dish motorized or a 1.2 meter. It looks like the price is a huge difference! Considering I am trying to do it on a stand or tripod and the price which would be better? Would the signal be that much better from a 1.2 and a 39"?

 

[cyberham]

I use exclusively wooden palettes because they are free, stable, low so easy-to-work on, and portable. I bolt the J-stand that comes with a dish to the palette. Palettes are not the most aesthetically pleasing to the eye, but they are functional and practical if you don't want to sink a "permanent" pole into concrete. By the way, palettes are also easy to rebalance to keep the J-stand vertical portion exactly plumb. I simply use thin shims under the palettes as necessary.

The problem with 3-legged tripods are they may shift when the motor turns from one side to the other. A 39-inch dish is likely sufficient in Tennessee considering cost savings and ease of installation.

But, since I'm a bit of a satellite hobbyist, I would personally only use a 1.2m dish if I were starting again. I hate it when comfortably numb can receive something but I can't and he's only using a 90-cm dish.

Added: I guess the correct answer is to use a non-penetrating mount on the ground. They aren't that expensive and can be moved when necessary.

 

[KE4EST]

Yep, only way to properly pull this off and to get it to come close to working properly, is to us a Non-Pen mount and cement blocks.

 

[cyberham]

Here are my measured C/N numbers when comparing a 1.2m and 1m dish in the same yard aiming at 87W Ku. So you can see there isn't a huge difference. The fade margin with a 1m will be less before you lose lock on a channel such as during a rain storm.

Patient channel
1m: 9.7 dB
1.2 m: 10.6 dB

LPB
1m: 6.7 dB
1.2m: 7.4 dB

Newsource
1m: 6.2 dB
1.2m: 6.7 dB

Florida channel
1m: 10.0 dB
1.2m: 11.5 dB

 

[SkySurfer80]

A guy locally has a Hughesnet NPRM with a 2 3/8 inch mast that is 30 inches in length. Would that be a good size for putting up a motor? Do these mounts have a way to level out the pole on them and without bricks do you think it would hold or would I need bricks to hold it down?

 

[KE4EST]

Yes, that NPRM would work fine. You will need the brinks, especially with a motor.

 

[KE4EST]

Make sure they are cinder(concrete) blocks not little tiny bricks.